Two-time Oscar nominee Jessica Chastain is adding yet another honor to her extensive resume. She’s been named the Female Star of the Year by CinemaCon, The Hollywood Reporter confirms.
The actress scored rave reviews for her performance as a ruthless and gifted D.C. lobbyist in her most recent film, 2016’s “Miss Sloane.” She received Oscar nods for her roles in “Zero Dark Thirty” and “The Help,” and has starred in blockbusters including “The Martian” and “Interstellar.”
While Chastain’s amazing reputation as an actress is well-deserved, she’s also a force to be reckoned with off-screen. She has loudly and proudly spoken in favor of a more inclusive entertainment industry.
After winning the MVP Award at the 2015 Broadcast Critics’ Choice Awards, Chastain used her time at the podium to criticize the latent prejudice that governs Hollywood: “Today is Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday so it got me thinking about our need to build the strength of diversity in our industry and to stand together against homophobic, sexist, misogynistic, anti-Semitic, and racist agendas,” she explained. “Martin Luther King, Jr. said, ‘Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter,’ and I would like to encourage everyone in this room to please speak up.”
Chastain serves on the advisory committee of We Do it Together, a nonprofit production company dedicated to financing and producing media content that empowers women. She’s also published an essay on the value of women-directed films, and has endeavored to work with a female filmmaker every year. “They’re not given the same opportunities, so if I have any influence in choosing a film or a script or finding a director, I’m absolutely going to make a difference,” Chastain said.
Her upcoming projects include Susanna White’s Native American period drama “Woman Walks Ahead” and Niki Caro’s “The Zookeeper’s Wife,” another period drama, this one set during the Holocaust.
Chastain will receive her CinemaCon honor at the convention’s Big Screen Achievement ceremony, which will take place in Las Vegas March 30.
